Desi’s eyes light up. “Yay!” she says, proudly handing the green dragon to JJ and the blue one to Cass. “Should I get them a house, too? They’ll need a place to live!”
JJ’s face pales. Nikolaialsomakes all the dollhouses by hand, and the prices notably reflect that. “Um, I—I’m not sure if?—”
Decisively, Cass takes pity on him. Much as he wouldn’t mind throwing around his wealth for Desi, he’s noticed JJ discreetly jotting down all of today’s expenses on his phone. Tacos for lunch, pavlova for dessert?—
Both of which he treated Cass to, as well. Without even asking. Part of Cass finds it annoying, like JJ is trying to prove that he can provide for both of them, but he reluctantly has to admit that it’s also kind of sweet.
After all, they’re co-parents now. The fact that JJ is at least making an effort to be friendly is a good sign.
“I have an idea,” Cass says, tapping Desi’s nose. “How about wemakethem a house? We can build a little blanket fort with pillows and sheets. It’ll be cozy for them, and big enough for you to fit inside, too.”
“Blanket fort!” Desi cheers, and she twists around in JJ’s arms to hug Cass. “Thanks, Cass!”
JJ flashes Cass a look that seems torn between grateful and jealous. Cass ignores it. “You’re welcome, sweetie,” he says, and he gently plucks her out of JJ’s arms to place her on her feet, pointing at the accessories. “Now, how about you grab little suits of armor for both of them, just like in the show? Just one for each, though—make them your favorites, okay?”
“Okay!” Desi dashes off to go look at the felt armor collection, leaving Cass and JJ alone.
JJ clears his throat quietly, shoulders hunching. “Thanks. For, um. For buying her the other doll.”
Cass avoids his eyes. “Uh-huh. Dolls need friends, after all. It’s very important.”
“I know. I had a little sister.”
Cass’s stomach lurches. His eyes flash to JJ, but the hunter is absorbed in straightening out the green wyvern’s little horns, making sure they’re neat and even.
Right. JulianJackson.He wasn’t born and raised in the Sanctum, not like most hunters are. No, he used to be a civilian—he had a family, went to school, played sports. Just like any other human boy.
And then the Jackson–Locke murders happened, and the Sanctum took him in. Cass has pored over all the Chain’s files about the neophyte hunter, and while he didn’t like most of what he saw, he did notice a distinct lack of senseless violence in JJ’s history. The vast majority of his kills were criminal demons or summoners, ones that the Chain itself also wanted taken down, and Cass couldn’t find any instance where JJ targeted someone without just cause. The Sanctum may have trained him to be a ruthless hunter, but there’s clearly a part of him that never lost his humanity.
The same part of him, maybe, that still remembers his little sister explaining that every doll needs a friend.
It almost makes JJ seem sympathetic. Cass doesn’t like it. In fact, he doesn’t likeanyof the realizations he’s had about his hunter counterpart today, from the way he loyally tipped every food truck with his clearly meager salary to how happily he smiled when Esteban called Desi his daughter. And what Cassshouldsay right now is “thanks for treating me to lunch” or “the wyvern doll was a good call” or even “I’m sorry about your family.”
Instead, he blurts out, “So how muchdoesthat infernal place pay you, anyway? The Sanctum, I mean.”
JJ scowls. “Enough. I don’t spend most of it, so I’m fine. This—this is fine.”
“Iknowthis is fine, lackey,” Cass fires back. “I’m just trying to figure out where the cultists draw the line between employment and indentured servitude.”
JJ glares down at the doll. “Not a cult. And I’mfine.”
Cass resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Whatever you say.”
Luckily for their rapidly deteriorating conversation, Desi chooses that moment to trot back over. “Ta-da!” she says triumphantly, holding up two sets of colorful felt armor. “Look! I got one for Kira and one for Hana!”
“Awesome,” JJ says, taking the pink armor and holding it up to his dragon plushie. “This one is Kira, right? I think she’ll look very pretty andveryfearsome in pink.”
“Yeah!” Suddenly, Desi’s smile wavers. “Do we—do we have enough money for both?”
JJ blinks down at her, startled. “Yeah, of course we—” he begins, and then he cuts himself off with a start, shooting a hard glare at Cass.
Damn it.Cass’s face flushes. He forgot that Desi has demonically enhanced senses, too. She probably heard every word of their conversation, and the thought makes guilt churn through him.
No matter how much he dislikes JJ on principle, the last thing he wants is for Desi to hear Cass arguing with her other dad.
“Of course we do, Desi,” JJ says, ruffling her hair. “Nothing to worry about.”
Desi’s smile goes back up to full brightness. “Great!” she says cheerfully, and she bounds towards the older man behind the counter. “Hi! I’m Desi!”
